After a large scale rejig of his council of ministers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi effected some changes in Cabinet committees to reflect the changes with the inclusion of new and elevation of certain older ministers (in terms of tenure) in these crucial committees, according to a notification by the Cabinet secretariat.
Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani, Labour Minister Bhupendra Yadav, Rural Development Minister Giriraj Singh, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal have been included in the all important Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA). Allies like the Janata Dal (U) and the Lok Janshakti Party have been given a miss, although R.C.P. Singh of the JD(U) has been included in Cabinet Committee on Employment and Skill Development.
CCEA reduced
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), too, does not have representation from the NDA alliance partners, and has been reduced in size from 11 members to eight, including Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal.
Ministers Virendra Kumar and Anurag Thakur have been included in the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Ministers of state for Parliamentary Affairs Arjun Ram Meghwal and V. Muraleedharan are special invitees in this committee.
The Cabinet Committee on Investment and Growth, headed by the Prime Minister has seen the inclusion of ministers Narayan Rane, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Ashwini Vaishnaw, while the Cabinet Committee on Employment and Skill Development has new members in Bhupendra Yadav, G. Kishen Reddy along with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
The crucial Cabinet Committee on Security has been left untouched with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the helm along with Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
The Cabinet Committee on Appointments which decides on appointments from Joint Secretary level and above, also remains untouched with Prime Minister Narendra Modi heading it, and Mr Shah as member.
Cabinet Committees are basically sub-committees within the Union Cabinet to look at specific remits and deliberate on various issues including security, economy, and even deciding on dates for Parliament sessions.
